Having difficulty paying your account?
We understand that circumstances can change and that financial difficulty can affect anyone.
If you are having difficulty paying for a GTE internet, phone, mobile or related telecommunications service, please contact us as early as possible. You have the right to apply for payment assistance.
There is no charge to apply, be assessed or receive payment assistance. We will work with you to identify realistic options based on your circumstances and capacity to pay.
Keeping customers connected is our priority. Suspension or disconnection will only be considered as a last resort.
Contact us for payment assistance
You do not need to complete a formal application form. Telling us that you are having difficulty paying, need help with a bill, want to manage your spending or wish to apply for payment assistance is enough to start an application.
Phone: (08) 8724 2222
Email: accounts@gte.com.au
In person: Visit Green Triangle Electronics and ask to speak privately with someone about payment assistance.
Other contact methods: You may also apply using any other ordinary method you use to contact GTE.
You may ask a financial counsellor, advocate or authorised representative to contact us on your behalf. Please tell us if you need interpreting, accessibility assistance or a safe and preferred method of communication.
Direct assistance hours
Personnel authorised to deal directly with payment-assistance applications are available from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm South Australian time, Monday to Friday, excluding South Australian public holidays.
Emails and online requests may be sent at any time and will be addressed during business hours.
You can check the progress of your application by contacting us using any of the methods above and providing your name and GTE account number.
Read the full Payment Assistance Policy.
Payment Assistance Policy Summary
If you are having difficulty paying for a GTE internet, phone, mobile or related telecommunications service, you have the right to apply for free payment assistance.
You may apply for:
- short-term assistance for a period of no more than three billing cycles; or
- long-term assistance for a continuous period of more than three billing cycles.
Financial hardship occurs when circumstances such as illness, unemployment, reduced or insufficient income, domestic or family violence, a death in the family, changes in personal, family or business circumstances, a natural disaster, unexpected expenses or another reasonable cause mean that you cannot currently meet your payment obligations, but you consider that you could do so under an agreed arrangement.
GTE will take your individual circumstances and capacity to pay into account. Depending on your situation, assistance may include:
- postponing, extending or deferring a payment;
- a payment plan tailored to your ability to pay;
- moving you to a lower-cost service;
- spend controls;
- removing non-essential features at no cost;
- adjusting account thresholds to help avoid disconnection;
- a free non-automatic payment method;
- restricting particular services or features where appropriate; or
- applying a credit, discounting a charge or waiving part or all of a debt where appropriate.
The assistance offered will depend on your circumstances. Not every option will be appropriate or available in every case.
Information we may request
You do not need to provide evidence when applying for short-term assistance.
You will also not be required to provide evidence if you are affected by domestic or family violence.
For some long-term applications, GTE may ask for limited information where it is strictly necessary to assess the application. We will explain what is required, why it is needed and how the information will be handled.
Assessment timeframes
We will assess a complete application as soon as practicable and within five business days. We will tell you the outcome as soon as possible and no later than two business days after completing our assessment.
Reviews and complaints
You may ask GTE to review a payment-assistance decision or arrangement, or make a complaint, using any of the contact methods above.
Making a complaint does not prevent you from agreeing to or continuing a payment-assistance arrangement.
If you are not satisfied with GTE’s response, you may contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman on 1800 062 058 or use its online complaints service.
Free financial counselling
Free, independent and confidential financial counselling is available through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or through its website.